Into Jerusalem

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). The road to the cross was a road of DESTINY (vs 12-13)

(2). The road to the cross was a road of DEVOTION (vs 14-15)

(3). The road to the cross was a road of DISCOVERY (vs 16)

(4). The road to the cross was a road of DECISION (vs 17-19)

SERMON BODY

Ill:

• Over the years there has been some classic movie quotes;

• You may know the quotation but can you name the film?

1. "Here's looking at you, kid," "Casablanca," 1942.

2. "Go ahead, make my day," "Sudden Impact," 1983.

3. "May the Force be with you," "Star Wars," 1977.

4. "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse," "The Godfather," 1972.

5. “A martini. Shaken, not stirred" Goldfinger," 1964

6. "I'll be back," "The Terminator," 1984.

7. "Elementary, my dear Watson," "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," 1929.

8. "Oh, no, it wasn't the airplanes. It was Beauty killed the Beast," "King Kong," 1933.

• TRANSITION: Papillon is the autobiography written by Henri Charrière

• The book was an instant bestseller;

• And the film of the book starred Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman.

• It is a great film but sadly they missed out the best quote;

• In the book there is an episode where the main character has a dream,

• In that dream he is in a court room on trial,

• As he stands before the judge he is charged with….

• “The most terrible crime that a person can commit”

• You can imagine the terror that grips his mind and heart;

• And so he asks the judge “What was that crime?”

• The judge replies:

• “The tragedy of a wasted life”

• Note: One thing that can never be said of Jesus;

• Is that he wasted his life – the very opposite is true,

• He lived his life to the full and gave his life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world!

• This episode on the life of Jesus is often called; ‘Triumphal Entry’

• It is recorded by all four Gospel writers.

• To fully grasp its impact,

• You have to understand that it is a complete reversal;

• Of all that Jesus has done in his ministry to this point.

Up till now, Jesus has mostly kept hidden his identity as the Messiah.

• i.e. When a demon proclaimed Him to be the Holy One of God,

• He told him to be quiet (Mark 1:24-25).

• i.e. When He healed people,

• Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone (Mark 1:44; 7:36).

• i.e. Even when He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead,

• He gave strict orders that no one should know about it (Mark 5:43)!

• i.e. When the disciples gained insight into His identity as Messiah,

• Jesus told them not to tell anyone (Mark 8:30; 9:9).

• i.e. The only exception to this secrecy is found in John’s gospel chapter 4;

• Where Jesus told a Samaritan woman at the well that He was the Messiah (John 4:26).

But in these verses all that has been ‘turned on its head’:

• Jesus allows a public demonstration on his behalf;

• He allows people to publicly acknowledge him as the Messiah & King!

• Now Jesus had visited Jerusalem many times before:

• As a boy, as a worshipper, as a teacher.

• But never as the Messiah and King.............. that is until now!

(1). The road to the cross was a road of destiny (vs 12-13):

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

ill:

• Some time ago, a man was trying to trace his family origin.

• In the process of his research he visited several cemeteries

• He was able to collect information from the various gravestones.

• At one place he came across a monument with the following inscription:

‘Pause now stranger, as you pass by

As you are now, so once was I

As I am now, so soon you’ll be.

Prepare yourself to follow me.’

• Next to the gravestone,

• He noticed someone had placed a board with the following words:

‘To follow you, I’m not content

Until I know, which way you went’.

Jesus was on the right road, heading in the right direction (Quote: verse 12):

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast

heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

ill:

• 14th day of Nissan;

• Was a date etched into the minds of all good Jewish people.

• This was the day to celebrate Passover.

• Passover is around March-April and is concurrent with our Good Friday and Easter.